Westpac has told a court that it is “inconceivable” that Forum Finance directors Bill Papas and Vince Tesoriero and funded their lavish lifestyles legitimately, as trial kicked off in the bank’s $400 million fraud case against the Forum companies.
Westpac has agreed to pay $29.95 million to settle a class action alleging subsidiaries BT Funds Management Limited and Westpac Life Insurance Services Limited charged customers excessive superannuation fees between 2007 and 2019.
Westpac has lost a bid to keep group members in the dark about the premiums paid for allegedly worthless consumer credit insurance, information the bank said could inflate expectations about settlements worth $126 million reached in three class actions.
Westpac has objected to several proposed notices going out to group members in a class action over ‘junk’ consumer credit insurance, which three of the Big Four banks have agreed to pay $126 million to settle.
ANZ and Westpac have failed in their bid for a contradictor to weigh in on a contingency fee bid in two class actions, as the law firm that lost the first ever application for a group costs order tries again.
Three of the Big Four banks have agreed to pay a total of $126 million to settle class actions on behalf of up to one million customers who were sold consumer credit insurance.
A Federal Court judge has recused himself from hearing a fraud trial against Forum Finance, after expressing that he had an “unfavourable” impression of director Vince Tesoriero’s reliability as a witness.
Bill Papas’ business partner Vince Tesoriero has won the release of $1.25 million to pay for his legal fees in Westpac’s fraud case against him, despite a judge’s finding that disclosure concerning his true financial position was “less than ideal” and included “staggering” discrepancies.
A judge has told Forum Finance director Vince Tesoriero to “revisit” evidence about his true financial position if he wants to win the release of $1.25 million to pay for his defence in Westpac’s fraud case against him, amid concerns about whether he has made full disclosure to the court.
The law firm that lost the first ever application for a group costs order in class actions against ANZ and Westpac has indicated it will revive its bid, tweaking a retainer agreement with group members in hopes of winning the court’s approval this time.